
Book_^- 




.^omv IS Pii i> I ii II s 61 1 ;^ 'ir o r v 



„.vi**l««»<»«»' - 

V 4 •» 



FIRST PARISH IN BOYICR ; 



TAKEN FROM THK S13RM0NS rUEACHED ON THE FIRST SABBATK 
JN JANUARY, 1831, BY RE;V. IT^WINSLOW, TliEN PASTOR 
OF SATIS niURCH. 



►4»®a* 



' Thou hast brought r. vino ought of Egy;»t; thou hast cast out the heathen 
iiid planted it. 'riiou preparedst room beSbrc it, and didst cause it to tajt*i 
^oep roof, .iihl it filled the laud.''— Ps. Ixxx : 8, 9. 



*q^^ j)» 



PUBLISHED BY C. C. P. MOODY. 
1832. 



A. 



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EIl!§TOR¥. 

The entire history of New-England, including the history 
of our pilgrim ancestors from their embarkation, will constitute 
one of the most deeply interesting portions of history on the 
atinals of time. But it is my present purpose to invite your more 
immediate attention to that particular portion of New-England 
with which you are more immediately connected, and especially 
the town and parish to which you belong, I would here re- 
mark, that for the facts which I shall communicate I am indebt- 
ed principally to the Records of this Parish, which extend back 
about two hundred yean. Dr. Belknap, one of the former min- 
isters, bestowed considerable pains in transcribing and re- 
ducing to order the Parish Records, and collecting from vari- 
ous sources such facts as might be interesting to posterity. He 
observes, in respect tothe documents for which he is responsi- 
ble, that the materials are collected from a manuscript history 
of New-England, by Mr. William Hubbard, formerly minister 
of Ipswich, Dr. Mather'.s Magnalia, Mr. Prince's Chronologic- 
al History of Massachusetts, the most ancient Records of the 
town of Dover, and from the oral inlormation of aged and in- 
telligent persons. 

Piscataqua River was first discovered by Capi. John Smith, 
in 1614. He came from England on a fishing voyage, and rang- 
ed the entire Atlantic coast, from Penobscot to Cape Cod. (See 
Dr. Belknap's History of New-Hampshire, vol. I. p. 10.) Nine 
years subsequently to this event, in 1623, ' several merchants in 
England belonging to Bristol, Exeter, Dorchester, Shrewsbury, 
Plymouth, and other places,' having procured the necessary 
patents, despatched 'David Thompson, a Scotsman, with Mr. 
Edward Hilton and his brother VVilham Hilton, and others,' 
with all necessaries to begin a settlement. They began their 
settbmeat on.the 'south east side of the Piscataqua river, at a 
place called the Little Harbor, where the first house was built ;' 
and al»o at some distance above the mouth of the river. This 
latter place, called by the Indians Winnichannat, ' they named 
Northam, and afterwards, Dover. It is the same that is now 
call?d Dover Nack.' (Bel. Hist. v. I. p. 1.3.) 



ft IS remarked in tlie Parish Records, ' Those tl:at enterpris- 
'jd this design, had some religious as will as civil viewb, and 
therefore sent over with Capt. Wigjrins in 1633, one Mr. Lever- 
idgc, an able and wortliy Fuiitan minister.' This gentlemau 
nficruard.s lea>ing Dover for \vant of support, in his place huc- 
ceeded Mr. Geo. Burditt, a person as the records observe, ' of 
better knowledge and learning than other abilities for that sa- 
cred fu! ciion.' He appears to have lacked the indispensable 
iiualificatiun of a faithful christian minister, v.hich is a broken 
and cisntrite heart, reislizing the power of redeomiiig grace, and 
jiupreniclj devoted to God. lie left England i . consequence of 
some disaftection towards the bisiiops and established clergy, 
and in pursuance of ambitious designs. ' IJy the assistance of 
some who entertained a better opinion of him than he ever de- 
ficrvcd, he invaded the civil Government ; and, thrijsting out 
Capt. Vv'iggins, who had been placed there by the Lords and 
others, he became governor of the place as well as preacher.' 

The Church in Dover was first gathered in IC38. It is re- 
corded that' several persons of good estates and some account 
for religion were by the interests of the Lords and other gentle- 
men induced to transplant them:?elves and famihes hither, so ma- 
ny as sufficed to make a considerable township; and following the 
'example of the plantations about the Massachusetts, they soon 
after, viz. about the year 1638, attempted to gather themselves 
into a church, and had officers ordained over them for this end.' 
It appears, however, that the interests of religion suffered 
much at this time from great irregularities in the civil adtninis- 
tration,as well as from lack of sufficient knowledge and discre- 
tion in ecclesiastical affairs, and in 1640 they addressed a letter 
lo (.'harles L Kinji of England, in the following v.ords. 
*Whereas sundry mischiefs have befallen uS, and more or great- 
er may, in regard of want of civil governaient, his gracious ma- 
jesty having settled no order for us to our knowledge, we whose 
na'.jes are underwritten, being inhabitants upon the river Pis- 
cataijua, having voluntarily agreed to form ourselves into a body 
politick that v.e may the more comfortultly enjoy the benefit of 
of his majesty's laws, and do hereby actually engage ourselves 
to submit to his royal Majesty's Jaws, together with all such 
laws as shall be concluded by a major part of the freemen of 
our society, in c?',«.e thfy be not rcpi^giiant tc the h.w.s ct' Eng- 



land, and be administered in belialfof liis m«jj«sty. And tliuf! 
we have mutually promised and engaged to do, and so to con- 
tinue, till his excellent majesty shall give otlier orders concern- 
infj lis. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands 
October 22d, in the ICth year of our Sovereign Lord Charles, 
by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France and Ire- 
land, Defender of the Faith,' &c. signed by ' Thomas Lark- 
ham, Richard Waldron, William Waldron, and thirty eight 
more, whose names are not now known.' (Parish Records, 
page 4. 

It is further reeorded that ' a Mr Wlieelwriglit, wlio had been 
banished from Massachusetts, witli a number of persons Avho 
adhered to him, began a settkment to whichthey gave the name 
of Exeter ; and in 1G39 formed themselves into a body politick 
by a written instrument signed by 36 individuals. There was 
also another distinct settlement at Portsmouth. — Thus three dif- 
ferent colonies and independent g<jvernments were formed upon 
the Piscataqua river.' The precise date of the political organ- 
ization at Portsmouth is uncertain ^ but it is supposed to tuive 
been about the same time. 

it hence appears that Dover, Portsmouth, and Exeter, are 
the three oldest towns in the State, the records of the first ex- 
tending back to I G'23, or three years after the landing of the 
Pilgrims at Plymouth ; those of Exeter to 1638 or 9 ; and the 
precise date of Portsmouth as a township being uncertain, but 
its political organisation supposed to be about simultaneous with 
those of Dover and Exeter. Dover is then, according to the rec- 
ords, the oldest town in the State, having its earliest date only 
three years after the landing of tlie pilgrims. This parish is 
therefore the most ancient parish in the State of New Hamp- 
sliire ; and the Church connected with it is the .most ancient 
Church in the State, having been first organized in 1G38, or 
192 years since. 

Succeeding Mr Burditt, and partly cotemporary with him, in 
the office of the Christian ministry was a Mr Oanscrd Knolleys, 
who came from England in 1638, " was rejected by the Massa- 
chusetts fur holding some of the Antimoiiian tenets, and remov- 
ed U) Dover where he found better re';eption.' But partly ow- 
ing to civi! didsciuions, and partly to the peculiarities of Mr 
Kr.ollev's seiitiirontf, he docs riot appear to have bcrji k cog* 



6 

nized as tlie regularly constituted pastor of the church. At thia 
lime certain members disaft'ecied towards the parish, compris- 
ing ' some of the baser sort of persons at Dover' attempted to 
form themselves into a church, and invited him to be their min- 
ister. But he had probably too much wisdom to assume such a 
connexion, and not succeeding to sustain a connexion with this 
parish, returned to England. The new church returned to no- 
thing, whence it cauje. 

About this time, a Mr Larkham came over from England t3 
Dover, and 'the people of Dover wore much taken with his 
public preaching, he being of good parts and well gifted.' Hut 
the interests of religion in Dover sulfered much from his indis- 
creet and unscriptural proceedings in receiving into the church 
ull that oii'ered, whether truly religious or not, on condition that 
they would promise a religious lil'e in future. Next to the influ- 
ence of lax principle, or irreligion in a Christian minister, noth- 
ing will defeat the power of the Gospel over a people like re- 
ceiving irreligious members into a Christian Church. Says our 
Saviour to his disciples, 'Ye are the salt of the earth, but if the 
salt has lost its savor wherewith shall it be salted ; it is thence- 
forth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot 
of men.' Nothing prepares a Christian church to be cast out 
and trodden under foot of men like corruption in its members. 
Mr. Larkham himself, as well as the church and parish suffered 
for his I'oliy, and owing to this and other indiscretions and mis- 
doings was obliged to leave Dover in about one year from the 
time he came, and soon after he returned to England. 

The departure of Mr. Larkham left the church in a state of 
corruption, and the parish dtstituie of a minister; in which con- 
dition ihcy continued about one year, after the expiration of 
which, it pleased the Head of the Church to meet their distres- 
sing cxigyncy in providing for them a dit^creet, pious, and ex- 
cellent miiiiste.'-. — This was Mr. Daxjel Maud. He was born 
and educated m England, and came over to America in 1640. 
The Records obser\e that, 'he was a good man, of a serious 
Fpirit, and of a quiet and peaceable disposition. Dr. Mather 
reckons ium among those who were in tiiv actual exercise of 
their ininislry in England, and were instruments of bringing the 
gospel into this wilderness.' He continued to be the pastor of 
this churdi t:'l his d>;Hth, which was about ten voars ;;fi.jr l.ia 



settlement. It appears that during his ministry the evils result- 
ing from the indiscretions of his predecessor were greatly re- 
moved, and the church and parish restored to a harmonious and 
prosperous condition. 

He was succeeded by Mr John Revner, formerly from Eng- 
land, a man of superior excellence, who had been settled eigh- 
teen years in Plymouth, Mass. The following testimony re- 
specting him was extracted into the Records of this parish from 
those of Plymouth. "Mr. Reyner was a minister in England, 
and coming over hither was settled in Plymouth about 1636, 
and departed thence in Nov. 1654, the people there having en- 
joyed the fruit of his labour 18 years, with much comfort, peace 
and agreement. He was a man of a meek and humble spirit, 
sound in the truth and every way irreproachable in his life and 
conversation. He was richly accomplished with such gifts and 
graces as were befitting his place and calling, being wise, faith- 
ful, grave, sober, a lover of good men, not greedy of the mat- 
ters of the world, armed with much faith, patience, meekness, 
mixed with much courage in the cause of God; was an able, 
faithful, and laborious preacher of the gospel; and a wise or- 
derer of the affairs of the church ; and had an excellent talent 
in training up children in a catechetical \yay in the grounds of 
the Christain religion ; so that by the loss of him, ignorance 
ensued in the town of Plymouth among the vulgar, and also 
much licentiousness among the younger sort." He continued 
to be the pastor of this church till his death in 1669, through a 
period of twelve years. His son John Reyner, who was gradu- 
ated at Harvard College, assisted him as a colleague in the lat- 
ter part of his ministry. He died young — not far from the 
time of his father's death. 

His successor was Mr. John Pike. The following is an ex- 
tract from the Parish Records. "Mr. John Pike was a native 
of Salisbury, and educated at Harvard College, where he was 
graduated in 1675. — He was esteemed as an extraordinary 
preacher, and a man of true godliness. — He was a grave and 
venerable person, and generally preached without notes. Those 
who were well acquainted with him have given him the charac- 
ter of a very considerable divine, and some of his manuscript 
sermons are yet in being, and much esteemed." ft has been 
said that Mr. Pike never preached a sermon that was not 



^^'orthy of tlic press. In a manuscript there is found this testi- 
inony conrerninff him. — "iNIr. Pike was a man of <rrrr\t hnmiJi- 
TV, meekness, and patience ; much mortified to tlie worhl, and 
without sail or jjuilt." It is recorded that under his ministry 
the 'church still adhered to the old way of baptizing' t!>c chihlrcii 
of noni! hut communicants,' and that this was one of the last 
churches in this part of the country that g;ave up that ancient 
i)ractice.' 

I\Jr. Pike continued to be the minister of this parish till his 
death in 1710 — a period of forty years. Tlis was a long, peace- 
ful, and successful ministry. 

DurinfT the ministry of Mr. Pike, the rnliabitants of Dover suf- 
fered several losses, both of life and property, from the incur- 
sions of the Indians. It was in 1-689 that the death of Major 
Waldron with that of twenty two other individuals, and the cap- 
ture of twenty nine others, and the destruction of Cochecho, by 
the Indians were efleeted — facts with which you are familiar. 

The next minister was Mr. Nicholas Sever, who was or- 
dained April 11, ITll, and dismissed in the sprinji^ of 171-j, on 
account of an impediment in his speech. — The Records state 
that 'he was graduated at Harvard College iu 1701, and after his 
<lismission returned thither and was a tutor for several years, 
afterwards a judge of the inferior couit in Plymouth coujity, mid 
lived to a great ajOfc.' 

He was succeeded by Mr, Jon.vtii.vm Cusiiint., who was grad- 
uated at Harvard College in 1712, and was ordained to the 
pastoral office over this church Sep. 18, 1717. lie was the 
srle pastor of this church fifty years. Wo now approach a 
period which falls within the recollection of the fathers of the 
present generation. It was principally during the long and suc- 
cessful ministry of Mr. Cushing, that this church was instru- 
inental in organizing many of the congregational churches in 
this vicinity. In March 1718 this church assisted in gathering 
a church at Oyster River (now Durham) and inaugurating over 
it as pastor Mr. Hugh Adams. In Oct. 1721, it assisted in or- 
daining Mr. John Rogers over a new gathered church in the 
upper part of Rittery. In Oct. 1730, it was voted that the 
communicants belonging to tl'.is church and now living within 
the parish of Somer.sworth, have free liberty to incorporate into 
a church by themselves, in order to have a pastor ordained ov^r 





tlieril, and to have the ordinances of Christ among them;' and 
the same year this church assisted in ordaining over that 'newly 
gathered church in Somersvvorth' Mr. James Pike as Pastor. 
In June 1755 'the church voted that such of the communicants 
^s lived within the limits of Barringion have liberty to incorpo- 
rate into a church there in order to have a pastor ordained over 
them, and tfiat when that was accomplished they were dis- 
missed from the particular watch and care of this church." 
In 1765 this church assisted in gathering a church in Lebanon, 
and ordaining over it a minister of the gospel. The same year 
it was engaged in ordaining a T«inister in Berwick, and the year 
following in Rechester, 

It hence appears that this ancient charch lias Lecn active, 
fi'om its earliest history, in organizing, counselling and sustain- 
ing Christain churclies in the neighboringtowns. 

Duringthe ministry of Mr Cashing the deacons of the church 
were Messrs. Gersham Wentworth, elected in 1731, John Wood, 
•elected in 1745, Shadrach Hodgdon and Daniel Ham, elected 
in 1758, and John Hayes elected in 1750. 

The ministry of Mr. Jonathan CusirrNG extended from 1717 
to 1769 a period of 52 years. During the las;t years of his life 
Mr. Jeremy Belknap was associated with him as junior and 
o««ileague pastor, and records his death as follows. 

■"March '25, 1769-, the Rev. Jonathan Cirshing, pastor of this 
church, depa/rted tkis liife iti the 79th year of his age, and 52d 
of his ministry, having sustained the character of a grave and 
soand preacher, a kind, peaceable, prudent, and judicious pastor, 
a wise and faithful friend. His funeral was attended on the 
30th, on which occasion Dr. Langdon of Portsmouth preached 
the sermon from Heb. vii. 23." 

His remains are deposited in the public cemetery of this vil- 
lage, and over them his descendants have erected a monument. 
In the time of his ministry there was scarcely a family in 
Dover, as we are informed, which did not give uniform and 
punctual attendance on public worship. Indeed this pariah 
then embraced, excepting the Friends, the entire town of Dov-. 
er ; and it was as much a thing of course for all families of any 
character and respectability to attend on the public worship of 
God upon the Sabbath, as to attend to their warl^dly concern? 
during the week. 
P 



io 

On the 2Qih day of Jn:i. 1767, Mr. Jeremy Bei.knap, (after- 
wjirds Dr. Belknap) in compliance with an unanimous invita- 
tion ot'iliid church uml parish, was ordained as pastor colleague 
of Mr. Cushinj:. His ministry hero continued 20 years, or from 
1767 to 1787,diiring two of which he was colleague, and eighteen 
of which sole pastor of the church. He then removed to Boston. 
Some of the present members of this parish were members at the 
time he was its minister, and will doubtless testify that he was 
an able preacher, an excellent pastor, and an amiable friend. 
He possessed a regular, well balanced mind, of little invention, 
but formed to habits of systematic indtistry. His attentive ob- 
servation and industrious collection of facts made him a good 
historian. With his "History of New Hampshire," you are 
familiar. — The Records of this parish were kept by him with 
great accuracy, and nothing important transpired in connection 
with his ministry here, which does not appear in its matter, 
form and date. The deacons of the church during his ministry 
were Messrs. Shadradi Hodgdon, Daniel Ham, Thomas Hayes, 
and Ephraim Kimball. 

It hence appears that from the commencement of the ministry 
of Mr. Jlaud to the termination of that of Dr. Belknap — 1641 
to 1787, a period of 146 years — this parish enjoyed the ministry 
of an unbroken succession of able and excellent men, — the min- 
istry of the first, Mr. Maud, continuing 10 years, and termin- 
ated by hi« death ; the ministry of the second, Mr. Reyner, con- 
tinuing 12 jcars, and terminated by his death ; the ministry of 
the third, Mr. Pike continuing 40 years, and terminated by his 
death ; the ministry of the fourth, Mr. Sever, continuing 4 years, 
and terminated by his removal to another station ; the ministry 
of the fifth, Mr. Gushing, continuing 52 years, and terminated 
by his death ; the ministry of the sixth, Mr. Belknap, continu- 
ing 20 years, and terminated by his removal to another station. 
During this long period of prosperity nearly all the families in 
this town were in a habit of uniform attendance on christain 
worship, and generation after generation was early instructed 
in the principles of evangelical religion and sound morality. It 
is beliered that few ecclesiastical societies of New-England, 
originating in the piety of the venerable pilgrims, can exhibit on 
their records a longer list of christian ministers eminent for 
wisdom, learning, and piety than the records of this parish 
exhibit during that period of 146 years. 



II 

It has been often remarked liuit disUnguislied hlcsaiiigs, if ptir 
rightly improved, are usually followed in divine providence by. 
a curse. What terrible curses for instance bcfel the Jews, be- 
cause they did not know, and riglitly improve, the day of their 
visitation. Those who do not appreciate and improve the day 
when God visits them with his blessintrs, are awakened to their 
folly by subsequent judgments, in which they fire compelled to 
exclaim, "The harvest is past, and we are not saved." And 
even if we do riglitly improve the day of our vesitution, and 
make an appropriate response to the blessings received, wq 
must not es))ect they will always continue. It is the appoint- 
ment of providence that blessings and trials follow each other 
alternately across the path of hiunan events, that the human 
family may learn wisely to improve the d.ny of blessingand pros- 
perity, to become }»repared for the day of trial and adversity, and 
thus ascend on the scale of moral excellence i.a crery move- 
ment of providence in respect to us. What blessings do not. 
teach us, trials often do. 

The nextminisler of tliisParish v.'as Mr. Iv-OBEUT Gray.. The 
following is an extract from the parish records, under the hand 
of the immediate {)redecessor of the present pastor. 

"From the close of Dr.. I>elkfiaj»'s ministry Sept. 11, 1786, 
to that of Mr Caleb H. i^herman, no correct records of the trans- 
actions of the church have been made. — Their present niinister, 
Joseph W. Clary, having collected what loo.se papers are to be. 
foimd, and what information he could otherwise obtain, records 
the following facts which took place previous to his connection, 
with the church. It appears from the parish records that Rob- 
ert Gray was ordained over tliis church to the work of the 
ciiristain ministry Feb. 23, 1787. What ministers and church- 
es were sent for on this occasi.on does not appear. He Avas a 
native of Andover, Mass. and graduated at Harvard College ; a. 
man of imposing talents. His pietv however \vas so suspicious 
in the judgment of the Rev. Jonathan French (it is said) that, 
he, tliougii sent for, did not attend the ordination. As a minis- 
ter he was quite popular. His iiDinoralities, intemperance, &;c. 
of which he Vvaslong su.«pected, at hngtli became so notorious 
as to mortify the pride of his people, and excite them to an 
investigation. His connection with the parish was regularly 
dissolved May the 'iOlh I^^O,'), f.t v.l.icli time it i.= stqtposed his 
• riini.'^lrv rcnscd." 



This is nearly all that appears on the records respecting Mr. 
Gray, and the history of this church and parish, during the pe- 
riod of 18 years in which he was pastor. The records contin- 
ue — "At a meeting of the church of Christ in Dover on the 27th 
of April 1806, Deacon Benjamin Pierce was chosen moderator, 
voted, unanimously, that it is the wish of the church that Mr 
Martin L. Ilulbert be invited to settle in the gospel ministry 
over this church and parish, we having received satisfactory in- 
formation of the rectitude of his moral character, and being 
satisfied with his ministerial qualifications." — The Church pro- 
ceeded to appoint the day of liis ordinatiwn, and an ordaining 
council was invited and convened, wlien, as the records state^ 
"a numerous remonstrance was presented by the parish, whick 
led the council to decide that it is inexpedient to proceed." 

Soon after the church and society extended an invitation to 
Mr. Caleb H. Sherman to become their minister, whicn was 
accepted, and he was ordained in May 1807. Like his prede- 
cessor he soon discovered himself to be nnfit for his office, evi- 
dently destitute of experimental piety, of loose religious prin- 
ciple, and of immoral character, and after a fruitless ministry 
of four years he was dismissed. 

Thus it appears that during the period of 23 years, embrac- 
ing the moral history of almost an entire generation, the town 
of Dover was subject to the deleterious influence of two minis- 
ters of unsound religious sentiments, who were dismissed at 
last for their open immoralities. No influence upon the charac- 
ter of a community is more powerful than that of the Christian 
ministry. It has long since become proverbial that there is a 
strong tendency to assimilation between a minister and his- 
people. — When people are willing to sit under a preacher of 
loose religious sentiments or suspicious piety, they furnish pre- 
sumptive evidence that their own standerd of religious charac- 
ter is already low, and the influence then realized tends to re- 
duce it still lower. Thus "if the blind lead the blind, both 
shall fall into the ditch." Such is the depravity of mankind 
that the downward progress is easier than the upward, and the 
influence of a bad ministry will do more in twenty years to- 
wards reducing and destroying the character of a community, 
than the influence of a good ministry may have done in twice 
that time to elevate and correct i(. The progress of destruc- 



13 

tioii is as follows — In the first place, the people lose all respect 
for the ministerial character and office ; then, the lower classes 
of the irreligious lose all belief in the principles and sanctions 
of Christianity ; then, many forsake the house of God, and de- 
basing ignorance imperceptibly begins to prevail ; then, the 
vices of intenftperance, lewdness, profanity, and various low 
and demoralizing pleasures succeed ; then, the young are left 
to grow up in ignorance, sottishness, and sin ; the holy princi- 
ples of religion, and the refined and exalted happiness flowing 
thence, cease to be known ; families, those remains of earthly 
paradise when, under the sanctifying influence of religion, all 
that is elevated, refined, sacred, delightful, is realizing, are con- 
verted into the most appaling spectacles of depravity, by vice, 
ignorance, abject wretchedness, and the curse of God. 

That there was a strong tendency to such a state of things in 
this town, during the period of which I iim speaking, we are 
credibly informed. Some of the more aged and respectable 
citizens now living testify that in 1787, at the beginning of Mr» 
Gray's ministry, nearly all the famiHes iu the town attended 
regularly on public worship, and that habits of industry aind a 
healthy tone of moral sentiment generally prevailed; and that 
at the close of Mr. Sherman's ministry, in 1812, many families 
in the town, and in some instances almost whole neighborhoods 
and districts liad forsaken the house of God, evincing contempt 
for the instructions of Christianity, ignorance of its principles, 
and gross depravity of character; and that they were training 
their cluldren to the same wretched condition. For the truth 
of these statements the speaker is not of course responsible, as 
they are made entirely on the authority of others. In view of 
these facts it is not then strange, that many families in this 
town are now living in contempt of God — forsaking his worship, 
profaning his Sabbath, and being sunk into a condition of men- 
tal and moral stupidity, almost below the reach of intellectual 
and religious influence. The wonder is that any survived the 
prevailing mortality of mind and character, standing firm 
against the strong current of destruction, retaining the princi- 
ples and sustaining the institutions of that religion which is the 
salvation and hope of man. 

It were incorrect to ascribe the neglect into which the institu- 
tions of religion fell entirely to the influence of those sustaining 



11 

the ministerial office. Other causes conspired Avith this, opf^ra- 
ting also on several other towns'in this vicinity, and on romn 
more effectively than^onj^tliis. Such are the following : 

1st. A sectarian influence, tending to nrdermine the estab- 
lished religious institutions of the gospel. 

2d. A prejudice fostered by an appeal to sordid and selfish 
intercst^against a learned ministry. There is almost nothing 
which lies so near to most heart? as money, and hence many of 
the more ignorant and credulous were not unwilling to be jier- 
suaded that tlie support of a;i educated ministry was a needless 
expense. The consequence was that (heir own minds, and 
those of their children, were soon reduced to sucli a condition, 
that a dispensation of the gospel adapted to more enlightened 
minds, could neither instruct or interest them. 

3d. The influence of distinguished men, of loose principle 
and irreligious character, tended to lower the general standard 
of excellence. 

4th. Intemperance has been a ].)owcrfu! cause operating agr.inst . 
the instiutiuns of religion in this region. A neglect of religion has 
promoted this vice, and this vice has in turn promoted a neg- 
lect of religion. Their contributions are reciprocal. This vice ■ 
operates against the cause of religion, by paralyzing the ener- 
gies of intellect, by injuring the anoral sense, by producing; 
recklessness of feeling, by destroying genuine self respect, 
by dispelling religious convictions from the mind and eflacing re- 
ligious impressions from the heart, by deranging the physical 
and mental constitution, by creating habits of idleness and de- 
basing pleasures, and by reducing a community to such ;i state 
of poverty as to render an ade(Miate supp.>rt of the Christian 
ministry impracticable. 

Causes like these, acting in coincidence v.iili the general and 
natural depravity of the human heart, have contributed to cre- 
ate that broad wave of destruction, which has for some years 
past rolled over the religious institutions of tiiis region, beaiing 
away in their ruins a portion of two generations of j)areritf? ami 
children through an irreligious and vicious life to an carlv and 
inglorious grave, and a niir^crable end. 

On the I2th of May, 1812, Mr Joseph W. Ci.ary, having sig- 
nified bis acceptance of an invitation of this church and parish 
to become their pa.i'.or, an ordaining rouncil ron\cned at the 



15 

liousc of Dca. Benja^iin Peirce ; Rev. Or.Buckminster of Ports- 
mfjuth was chosen scribe, and after examination oftlie proceed- 
ings of the church and parish, and the religious principles of the 
pastor elect, the council proceeded to his ordination. The Rev. 

Dr. Woods of Andover preached the sermon. 

Mr Clary wag minister of this parish from May, 1812, to No- 
vember, 1828 — a period of more than 16 years. As he is still 
living, and his ministry is within your recollectron, a particular 
specification of facts !: ere, were both inexpediet-.t and unnecessa- 
ry. Suffice it to say, that notwithstanding the disadvantages 
under which he laboured, resulting partly from the influence of 
his predecessors, and changes subseo,uently realized in the con- 
dition of the town beyond controul, but operating against the rel- 
ative prosperity of this parish, the effects of his ministry, as far 
as they extended, were decidedly good, involving permanent 
blessings to this people. In addition to the fact that the sacred 
office was redeemed from the reproach into which it had fallen, 
and that the sound principles of Christianity were inculcated, 
preparing the way for their continued and extended influence, 
.several individuals became subjects of experimental piety and 
made public declaration of their faith ; some of whom are fallen 
asleep, and some are still adorning a Christian profession in lives 
devoted to God. 

The deacons of the cliurch during this period, were Messrs. 
Benjamin Peirce, Ezra Green, and John W. Hayes. 

By a council called by mutual request Aug. 6, 1828, the pasto- 
ral relation of Mr Clary was dissolved, and has since been trans- 
ferred to another church and parish, in which an interesting 
work of grace has already been realized as the fruit of his minis- 
try. On his removal, the parish made him a generous present, 
in token of continued affection and res})ect. 

The present pastor was ordained on Dec. 4, 1828, assuming 
a connexion with this church and parish, not for life, or for any 
specified time, but to be discontinued whenever a request to 
that effect should be made by either party. I cannot here re- 
press a feeling of obligation for an unbroken expression of 
kindness hitherto realized — During the period of more than twa 
years, in which I have been with you, not a single complaint, 
respecting either my public ministrations, or private and social 
duties, has come to my kno« ledge ; and not a pledge has ever 



1« 

been made by you but it hns been fully redeemed. In addition 
to tbis, your serious and increasing attention to a preacbed gos- 
pel inspires an earnest expectation tbat its design will be real- 
ized not only in tbose temporal benefits wbicb it always brings, 
but in a harvest of immortal blessedness in God's holy kingdom. 
I have tbus given you a hasty and imperfect sketch of the his- 
tory of this parish from materials principally furnished in its 
records. I have said nothing of the other religious societies in 
this place, because with the exception ofthat of the Friends, with 
whose history I am unacquainted, they are of recent origin and 
within your personal recollection. The societies which prob- 
ably took the greatest number from this parish, ai"e those of the 
Methodists and the Unitarians. 

[The pastoral relation of Rev. Mr. Winslovv was rlissolvod, at liis request) 
in NoTcmber, 1831, in consequence of a failure of his health.] 



LEFe 70 



